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Green light on road to Tianjin's future

By Gao Qihui (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-09-13 11:20

Tianjin - Organizers of the 2010 Tianjin Summer Davos Forum expect it to be an international platform for Tianjin to showcase its new image and achievements.

Zhu Jun, deputy secretary-general of Tianjin municipal government and director of the organizing committee of the forum, told China Daily, Tianjin will use the forum to continue its innovation and promote its economic development.

"We hope to use such a stage to expand our international exchange and cooperation and attract foreign investment and knowledge," Zhu said.

More than 1,000 leaders from business, political and academic circles, many of whom help shape the global economic landscape, are to attend the forum.

The Annual Meeting of the New Champions, the "Summer Davos", is one of the foremost global business gatherings in Asia, and in line with the forum, Tianjin is endeavoring to improve its overall competitiveness to be a new national champion.

It is currently ranked seventh of all Chinese cities in terms of competitiveness, up from 10th in 2007, and its GDP growth rate reached 16.5 percent in 2009, a rate much higher than the national average, according to Zhu.

Tianjin's booming economy has attracted many international events to the city in recent years and it has successfully staged the 2008 Summer Davos Forum, the 15th Tianjin International Book Fair and the 2009 International Business Convention.

Zhu said that Tianjin is much better prepared for the forum this year, as its ability to stage international meetings and exhibitions has improved.

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"More effort has been made to organize this year's event. We founded an organizing and coordination committee with 24 working groups and staff from more than 90 government departments and offices," Zhu said.

"Preparations for the forum have proceeded very well", He Ronglin, vice-chairman of Tianjin municipal committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, told China Daily

The Meijiang Conference Center, a modern multi-functional venue built for the forum, was finished at the end of May, and construction and renovation of four and five-star hotels were also recently completed, said He.

"We implemented a one-year plan to improve the services and management at our luxury hotels," Zhu said. "For example, we sent waiters and waitresses to the Great Hall of the People and the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse for service training, especially foreign language skills."

Tianjin municipal government has also devised an emergency plan to guarantee security at the forum, according to He.

To echo the 2010 Summer Davos Forum's theme of "sustainable development", Tianjin has implemented a number of environmental measures.

"We have worked out 20 green measures to let the participants truly experience the concept of a 'green meeting'", said Zhu.

Another highlight of this year's forum is the opening of the forum to ordinary citizens for the first time. Five citizens, from various fields, will be invited to participate.

"This is an innovation for the Davos events. It offers a chance for our residents to have direct dialogue with the world's business and political leaders and learn about global economic development first-hand," Zhu said.